


all that matters

by starrysky



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, fluff galore!!, tons of it actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-11
Updated: 2013-12-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 07:45:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1078372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrysky/pseuds/starrysky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Future Harry Styles reminisces about the first time he met the boy with sparkling blue eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	all that matters

**Author's Note:**

> sorry for the insane amount of fluff i added. can't help it.  
> if you read this, thank you. i really do appreciate it.  
> as always, i edited this but if there are still any mistakes i'm sorry!!  
> a huge thank you to nikki and sarah for reading/making suggestions/being great to me all the time.  
> kudos and comments always appreciated. x

September 20, 2033 - 7:38 p.m. 

They walked hand in hand down the street. The streetlights on the side of the road flickered on and off as chilly rain danced its way around them.

They were on their way home from a small dinner together. A new coffee shop just opened up near their house a few weeks ago and they wanted to try it out. They didn't even really like coffee. Tea was their favorite. But they were like that, always adventurous, wanting to try new things even if they didn't really fancy what they were trying. It was ok with them because, well, they were together. And that's all that mattered.

They didn't drive. They hated driving. Another quirk of theirs. The only time they'd step into a car was if where they were going was too far for their feet to handle. Through pouring rain or blizzard, their steps took them everywhere they went so they could hold each other's hands, so their bodies were always touching.

♡

Harry looks at Louis. 

His brown hair is blowing with the wind. His skin reflects the lights like the moon does the sun; he looks beautiful. As beautiful as he had looked 20 years back. The night he had first met him. They were much older now. Wrinkled lines painted their faces; each new year added a new line. But to Harry, Louis is always beautiful. He would always be beautiful.

Louis senses Harry's eyes on him as if they were burning through his skin. He turns to look at him, meeting his gaze and says softly, "Harry? You ok, love? What's the matter?"

Harry, unaware of how long he's been staring, turns away.

"Oh nothing Lou, nothing. Just thinking." 

Turning back to face Louis, he knows Louis doesn't buy his response the way he's crinkling his eyebrows tightly together. 

With a bright smile he adds, "Honestly, it's just that…you look beautiful tonight. I mean you always look beautiful, but tonight there's just something about the rain coming down around you and the lights reflecting off your skin. You're glowing."

Harry watches Louis' smile widen and his cheeks color. Louis pauses for a moment and with a sly grin replies,

"After all these years, Styles, and you're still making me blush like a little schoolgirl."

Harry smiles back, but it quickly fades as he stops walking, letting go of Louis' hand as Louis trails forward, thinking, after all these years, after all these years and I'm still madly in love with you. I was so lucky to find you, but what if I hadn't? What would I be? Who would I be?

Louis stops moving, curiosity filling all the lines of his face, wondering why Harry isn't following, wondering why he's acting so strange. Slowly, he works his way towards him, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers together again.

"Harry, babe, seriously. You're scaring me. What's wrong? Why are you so distracted tonight? You know you can tell me anything."

"It's nothing serious, really," Harry says, with little conviction in his voice. 

"It's just...Well I was thinking. Can you imagine if we hadn't met that night at the carnival? What would our lives be like? Who would be coming home to after a long day at work? Maybe we'd be alone. Would be happy, Louis? Would we be empty inside? It's such a scary thought."

Louis takes his eyes off Harry's and looks up at a streetlight that hasn't completely stopped flickering yet taking in all his words. The rain is starting to dance down harder now. The smell of thunder lingers in the air. 

"I don't know, Harry. I don't know how things would be. Fate is such a crazy thing."

Louis turns back to Harry, walks over to him, and leans so close their chests almost touch as rain dusts their eyelashes. His voice sounds like the flitting of a butterflies wings as he says,

"But what I do know is every day, every morning just before the sun comes up, I wake up and I watch you sleep. I watch you breathe in and out, and with every breath you take, I thank the stars above for bringing us together. That's all I know, Har, and that's all that matters. We're together. We always will be. Nothing can or will separate us. That's all that matters, ok?"

Louis' breath is warm, smelling faintly of the peanut butter cookie he had eaten at the shop. Harry has never loved Louis more than he loves him at this moment.

"I love you, Louis Tomlinson. From the tip of your toes to the top or your head. I love every vein in your body and every atom you are made up of. I love you, and I always will. I'm so thankful for finding you."

Louis runs his thumb across Harry’s cheek, pressing into the space where his dimple normally sits. Harry wants nothing more than for Louis to kiss him then. And as if Louis can see into the deepest parts of Harry's brain, he moves in just an inch and fits his warm mouth against Harry’s, pressing his tongue against Harry’s cold, deep red lips. After slowly pulling away, he whispers, “I love you, too, Harry."

The rain is falling down harder now, as if it was running away from a demon. 

"Curly, let's hurry. I think a storm is heading our way."

Harry's heart stops just for a second. Curly. When they were younger, that was Louis' favorite nickname for him. He barely used that term anymore. He had other nicknames for Harry now.

"Hey Lou, I promise I won't get too nostalgic on you tonight, but remember the night we met, you told me we'd start our own band and we'd call it 'Curls and Fringe,' and I told you it was a perfect name?"

"Yeah, of course I remember."

"I never told you...and please don't get mad, but I secretly thought it was the most ridiculous name I've ever heard. I just went along with it so your opinion of me wouldn't change. I wanted you to like me." Harry starts to laugh as Louis hits his upper arm.

"Hey, give me a break! You were so breathtaking that night it was hard for me to say the right thing. And I would've still liked you even if you had shot down the name, you dork."

"I'll never forget that night, Lou." Harry flashes Louis a smile as soft as petals on a rose.

"Of course you won't, silly man! That was the day you met the most amazing, perfect, gorgeous boy on the entire planet." 

Louis winks at Harry and starts to run toward their house.

Harry chases after him, and while he's running, the image of Louis' light, lovely blue eyes on that summer night they met appears in his mind, so clearly, as if it just happened the night before.

-*-*-*-*-

July, 8, 2013 - 12:35 p.m.

"Harry, you're absolutely sure you don't want me to interfere tonight? I mean, you know how good I am at playing Mr. Matchmaker." Zayn raises a brow already knowing the answer he'll get as he gets up from the couch and puts his controller down.

"Fuck off, Zayn. You know how I feel about that." Harry huffs as he watches the replay of Zayn's ball slamming into the net on his T.V. Zayn was always much better at FIFA than Harry was.

"Alright, mate." Zayn walks over to Harry's front door. "Suit yourself. I'll be back here to pick you up around 7ish, ok?"

"Yeah, that's fine Zayn, thanks."

"Anything for you, Haz. By the way…please try and have fun tonight. I know you'd rather be locked up in your house playing FIFA with me all night, but Liam, Niall and I will be with you and we'll just mess around like we always do. Nothing to worry about, alright?"

"Alright. Hey Zayn?

"Yeah, Har?"

"Thanks for always looking after me."

"Shut up Harry. You know how emotional I can get. Love you." Zayn opens the door.

Before he’s all the way out Harry shouts, "I love you too, Zaynie!

♡

Zayn has always been Harry's best friend, his rock. He's softhearted and loving which is quite a surprise seeming that his appearance does not match his warm heart. Zayn has dark hair and a beautiful chiseled face that looks like it was carved by angels themselves. To Harry, his beauty grows more and more every day, if that's even possible. This always gave people the idea Zayn was rude and selfish. Harry hated that. They thought he was only concerned about his looks, but the poor boy couldn't help his lucky genes.

Harry breathes in Zayn as medicine and comfort every day, and whenever he’s separated from him for too long his breath seems to catch in his throat and he gets restless. Zayn was always there to talk to. He always listened to Harry. The only thing Harry hated about their friendship was the way Zayn constantly tried to meddle with Harry's love life, always trying to find him someone. Harry knows Zayn doesn't do it to be annoying, he just wants Harry to be happy. But Harry does not want anything forced. He doesn't want love to be pushed onto him just like that. He just wants it to…happen. Kind of like the way you never know when rain will start. The grey clouds linger in the sky above you but are never quite sure of the moment you'll feel the first drop on your skin. 

That's what Harry wants.

Harry has never been in a real relationship before. Yeah, there were some stupid hookups, but no one ever made his heart beat so fast it might fall out of his chest, or made his stomach flip so high that it might shoot out of his mouth. He's never had real moments, only thoughtless ones.

But all he craved for was love. For those real moments. True, romantic, cheesy, sappy love. Something that came out of a fairytale, or a chick flick. Regardless of whether that kind of love was possible or not, he knew he would never feel complete without it. It was as if for all of his life, half of his heart was missing, and he just somehow, somewhere, had to stumble upon the other half. 

♡

Harry's own thoughts startled him, as he started chuckling to himself. His voice echoed through his empty apartment. He always kept this romantic side inside of him. He thought people would make fun of him for it, especially Liam, Niall, and his sister. Only Zayn knew. Zayn was the only person who knew everything about him. That was why he tried so hard to find someone for Harry. He wanted to find Harry the other half of his heart so the emptiness inside of him could fade away. Zayn was sweet like that.  
Harry got up to get ready for the carnival. As he was staring intensely at himself in the mirror in his room, fixing his dark, curly locks to get them in the perfect position, he had this feeling in the pit of his stomach that something magical would happen tonight at the carnival. Perhaps someone would be there. Someone special. Perhaps it would be the other half of his heart.

Perhaps.

♡ 

"Yo Liam, Liam! Do you see that girl over there on the Ferris Wheel?"

"Mate, how can you see that high? That wheel is fucking huge. And what girl are you talking about? There are a million of them on there."

"She's wearing that bright red blouse with brown hair. You can't miss her! See her? Do ya, Li?"

Niall is tugging excitedly at the bottom of Liam's plaid shirt, as Zayn and Harry are chuckling, trying not to burst out laughing walking only a few paces behind them.

"Niall, bro. YOU listen to me. If you want her so bad, how 'bout after she comes down, you go over to her and offer to try and win her a giant teddy bear. That may win over her heart. I'll even come with you for support."

Niall turns to Liam, obviously unaware of anything Liam has said, his focus only on the girl. "What was that?" Liam rolls his eyes.

"Anyway, Li, can you please come with me to go talk to her? I'm not really all that good with girls, but if you came with me it'd make me feel better. She even may have a friend for you to meet!"

"Alright, mate, alright." Liam shakes his head. "Just calm down and relax. We don't want to scare that poor girl away."

Liam turns to Zayn and Harry behind him.

"Guys, I'm gonna go with Niall to talk to that girl he's already madly in love with. I'm apparently Mr. wing-man tonight. Wanna come with?"

Before Harry can say anything, Zayn reads Harry's face as easily as his favorite book and replies, "No Li, sorry. Me and Harry are going to go play around and eat something. Call us if you need anything."

As Liam and Niall walk away, Harry turns to Zayn with a sigh of relief, and smile. "Thanks, Zaynster. I really didn't want to watch Niall make a complete full out of himself with that girl." Zayn returns the smile.

"I always got your back, H. Sooo...anyone catch your eye yet tonight?" 

Harry is completely aware of the wink Zayn sneaks him.

"No, you bloke!" Harry laughs, but that only lasts a second as he starts to sigh. "To be honest with you though, I've had this strange feeling inside me all day long that I would find someone tonight. It's stupid. I don't know, Zayn. If I see anyone, I'll let you know. Deal?"

"Deal."

♡

"What was that, Liam? Are you ok, bro? What's all the noise in the background? Slow down, mate you're talking too fast!" 

Zayn is yelling into his phone. 

"What did Niall do?" (pause) "Typical. Alright, Li, alright I'm coming. Hang on!" He puts the phone in his pocket and turns to Harry.

"Har, Liam said something about Niall and a bumper car and crashing. That boy has always been such trouble, I swear." Zayn says shaking his head. "I have to go see what's happening. You gonna come or stay behind?"

Harry thinks for a second.

I don't think this feeling you've had all day is for nothing. Maybe you should stay back in case someone comes around.

Harry pulls on one of his curls. "You know what Z, I think I'm going to stay here. I'll be fine, I'll probably just go get some ice cream or cotton candy. I'm not sure I can deal with all the chaos Niall has brought about tonight. Is that ok?"

"Yeah, Har, it's fine. I'll be right back. Text me if you need me."

♡

Harry watches Zayn leave then turns around and heads toward the ice cream cart.

For the first time all night, he finally takes a good look around. There are little tents set up with games, stands with all different kinds of treats that smell like heaven, there are rides for children but nothing really suitable for adults. The field it’s set up on is glowing under the lights that are aligned along the perimeter. The typical carnival look. Harry chuckles to himself.

This carnival happens in his town every summer. When he was younger, he was always so excited to go. He couldn't wait for the rides, couldn't wait for the adventures he'd depart on. Everything is so much more magical when you're young, Harry thinks, as he watches the little kids screaming and hears mom's talking about how they can't wait for school to start again. Now, all he wants to do is go home. The magic is gone. He doesn't want it to be gone.

As he nears the ice cream cart, high school boys and girls all cluttered up in groups a few feet away from him. Harry can read everyone so easily. The girls are pretending to listen to the boys, laughing at their jokes and lightly slapping the boys' arms, but they don't hear a thing, and all they can think about is if their makeup is smeared and if their hair is ok, hoping they get a chance alone with the cutest one. The boys, trying so hard to flirt, grab at their hair and tug on their pants hoping their erections are hidden, hoping they can get with one of the prettiest girls tonight. 

Harry has always been able to read people pretty easily. He smiles to himself with complete satisfaction, watching as one of the boys puts his hand behind one of the girls' back and they walk out to his car together. Someone's getting it tonight, Harry smirks.

"Um, you alright there, mate? You've been standing here for about 5 minutes smiling to yourself."

A boy.

His voice. 

It sounds like a perfect autumn day. No. It sounds like cozy over-sized sweaters. No, that's not it, Harry thinks. His voice is like pure sunlight. Yes, that's it.

Harry hasn't even faced him yet, but he can feel his cheeks flushing. When he turns around, he finds a boy with shaggy brown hair watching him curiously from behind the ice cream counter. He’s actually rather beautiful, and Harry’s thoughts scatter when the boy gives him a deliberate once-over.

"You're not much of a talker." The brown haired boy chuckles to himself. "Were you planning on getting some ice cream, or were you just going stand there all night long?" The boy's eyes are beautiful; sparkling, pale blue, framed by dark eyebrows. 

"Oh, um, I, yeah can I have a scoop of mint chocolate chip in a cup please?" He averts the boy's eyes. He's so breathtaking. Too breathtaking.

The brown haired boy tucks his chin down and presses his lips together. When Harry glances up at the boy through his lashes, he’s smiling. His canines end in sharp little points and the corners of his eyes crinkle up with his smile. Harry’s stomach flips so high it feels as if it will shoot out of his mouth. He freezes. 

That's it. That's the feeling I have been waiting for.

"Mint chocolate chip, huh? That's one of my favorites."

Harry clears his throat nervously, trying to get some words out, but nothing does. He's not even sure why he's nervous. Stupid.

The boy hums quietly as he scoops out Harry's ice cream. Harry can't help but watch him. His eyes trail up his thin legs, and linger on his chest. There's a hint of a tattoo there, but Harry isn't sure what it is exactly. What a lovely body he has. His eyes lock back in on his face. His lips are thin, and pale pink. What a lovely mouth he has. His nose is sweet and small, and his eyes are light, but shine as bright as crystals. They're lovely. 

"You're lovely." Harry blurts out. 

They stare at each other in silence. Harry's able to see the boy's cheeks turn a bright pink color. He's even more lovelier than before. 

Louis clears his throat and blinks away, "You're not so bad yourself," trying to hide his smile

"So, Curly, you got a name and age?" Louis says shaking away his flushed face.

"Harry. I'm 19, You?"

"Louis. 21."

Louis. Louis and Harry. Harry and Louis. Louis and Harry. Harry repeats their names over and over again. Their names put together like that sound like his favorite melody. He could listen to it forever.

Louis hands Harry his cup of ice cream and their fingers brush against each other's. Harry felt a sense of calm roll over him as he touched Louis. Like he was meant to touch this boy's hand for the rest of his life.

Harry knows he only has one chance to make a move on this beautiful, beautiful boy before he slips away... Now or never.

"Hey Louis, would you like to go on a walk with me? If we walk out maybe 20 feet, there's an open field ahead of us."

Louis bites down on his lip, his blue eyes locked on Harry's. He's moving his hand up to try and cover his blushing face with his hand. 

After a few seconds, he breathes out as if trying to compose himself and says, "Alright, Curly, but it can't be for too long. I'm the only one running this stand. If I lose my job because of you, I'll knock you upside the head."

Harry watches as Louis takes off his apron. He's wearing a white shirt with red stripes and dark blue, tight skinnies.

“You’re not going to like, murder me or anything right?” Louis adds.  
Harry clasps a hand over his mouth again laughing loudly before he says, “Trust me I’m probably the last person who will murder you.”  
"Alright good. Hang on just a second." Louis take an empty receipt and writes, 'Be back soon. Have to relieve myself' on top of it. He leaves it right where customers will be able to see it.

Louis comes out from behind the stand. He's so small, he's adorable. Perfect. Harry thinks as they start walking together, out to the open field. Their steps match each others, perfectly in line.

♡

"So, do you work here every year, Louis? I mean, I've been coming to this carnival ever since I was a little kid. But I don't think I've ever seen you here before."

"No, this is my first year, actually. I moved here last year with my family. My dad was offered a promotion for the architecture company he works for. Heard about the carnival from my neighbor and took the job manning the ice cream stand this year so I could buy myself a new keyboard."

"Oh, you play the piano?"

Louis voice brightens. "Yeah I do but I'm pretty shit at it, or at least I think so. I usually only play in my room though. I love making up my own little melodies. Playing helps keep me relaxed."

The carnival is behind them with its bright lights, laughing children, and dinging of game winners. They look out across the vast filed that’s in front of them, as the few stars that are out twinkle down at them, and the moon is smiling.

"Is there a song that I might know that you really love to play? Any favorites?"

"Hmm...I think my favorite is "How To Save a Life" by the Fray. Please tell me you've heard of them. I will seriously punch you if you don't know who they are."

Harry has heard of them but the mere touch of Louis is worth the lie.

"No, I don't think I've ever heard of them, to be honest." Harry's tone is overly sarcastic.

Louis smacks Harry against his upper arm and they both start laughing hysterically. Harry doesn’t think he’s ever liked the sound of a laugh so much in his life. Harry wants to hear more of it.

"Do you sing, Lewis?" Harry says smiling at the crinkled up face Louis makes by him calling Louis, Lewis.

"Yeah, I do. I don't like to sing in front of big crowds though. Makes my stomach boil."

"I bet you have a wonderful, voice." Harry says softly, and turns and looks at Louis.

Louis is staring back at him. His sparkling eyes scan him from the bottom of his chin to the tip of his hairline then turns his head forward. Harry's heart stops beating for a moment then returns when Louis breaks the silence.

"My turn for questions now, Curly head. How about you? Do you sing?"

For everything Zayn knows about Harry, every little detail, there is one thing Harry has always kept a secret. Singing.

"I do, as a matter of fact. I love to sing. But only in my room, like you with the piano. It kind of makes me...feel powerful in a sense. I'm not really brave or anything like that. Never got into trouble in school, minded my own business. But singing makes me feel like I can...like I can fly, cliché as that sounds, that nothing can stop me, that nothing else really matters in the world. All the bad disappears."

Harry cannot believe he has spilled out so much to this brown haired boy he barely even knows. He let out something not even Zayn, his best mate for years, knows. When he turns to look at Louis, a small smile is playing on his lips. The moon is making ridiculous sparkles shimmer on his face.

They both fell into a comfortable silence that didn’t seem to feel uneasy, like they had known each other for years, and the feeling of a small hand tightening around Harry's middle back makes his heart flutter as fast as a hummingbird's wings.

"I've never said that to anyone before. The whole singing thing." Harry tugs a curl on his head. He knew he was blushing and he really didn’t care, he liked Louis and he hoped Louis maybe liked him too.

"Well hey, maybe one day we can start our own band. I'll play the keyboard and you can sing. We'll call ourselves...'Curls and Fringe.' That sound like a good name?"

"It's perfect." Harry tries to suppress his laughter because the name sounds so ridiculous to him. "And who knows," he adds, "maybe one day we'll be so famous every girl in every country will be screaming our names."

"No, no. Not my name. They'll be screaming your name. I mean, how could they not? Your curls and dimples will completely seduce them. It only took one second for me to be completely addicted to you, to be honest, when I was watching you in front of the ice cream stand. You're beautiful, Harry."

All Harry could think of as a response was, “What if I kissed you right now?”

“What if I let you?”

With that, Harry tilted his head sideways and started moving his lips along with Louis’. They were warm and sweeter than honey. Louis' right hand came up that wasn’t supporting his weight and gently placed it on the side of Harry's face. Louis started to chuckle against Harry's lips and Harry instantly pulled away a little resting his forehead on Louis'.

“Why are you laughing at me?”

“Because your face is burning up from the blush you’re currently sporting.” Harry instantly squawks at him and hits Louis gently on the shoulder.

"I think I have to go back now." Louis lets out a sigh. "It's been quite a while and I'm sure people are starting to think it takes me 5 hours to go to the bathroom."

Louis smiles at Harry and Harry knows the color in his cheeks is coming back. He doubts it's ever really left all night being with Louis.

"I really like talking with you, Louis. I feel like I've known you my entire life but it's only been a couple of hours."

"I like you talking with you too, Harry. I hope we can do it again sometime."

♡

"Niall, I told you man, when you're around a pretty girl like that, you gotta RELAX. You hear me? R. E. L. A. X." Liam is trying hard to get his words stuck in Niall's innocent head.

"Ok, Liam ok. I'm sorry. How was I supposed to know the steering wheel was going to break off? Don't put the blame all on me!"

"Ni...you were so excited to be sitting next to her you nearly tore the damn wheel off the car. Don't tell me it wasn't your fault!"

Liam and Niall turn a corner and start heading for their car, as Zayn and Harry slowly trail behind them.

"So anything happen while I was gone, Har? You look like...like you're glowing." Zayn's expression is eager.

Harry's lips curve into a big smile. He thinks about the brown haired boy in his striped shirt; his pale blue eyes, and sweet smile, the way his lips tasted like sweet honey, and how he wants to be able to taste that boy for the rest of his life.

"Oh, nothing too major, Z." Harry's smile grows larger and larger with every word that comes out of his mouth. "Just got some ice cream, you know...walked around...and... I may have possibly met the love of my life."

Zayn stops walking an grabs Harry's face between his two hands. 

"You're shitting me right?!"

"No, I'm being serious! I gave him my number and stuff. We're going to hang out tomorrow actually. He's perfect, Zayn. I mean, everything I've ever wanted. He makes the emptiness inside of me disappear and it's only been not even 2 hours of knowing each other. Isn't that crazy?"

"Harry Edward Styles, you cheeky little bastard! How is it possible that you found someone amazing without any of my help?"

Harry starts laughing as him and Zayn catch up to Niall and Liam.

"I don't know, Z. I honestly haven't the slightest idea. I'm just so thankful it happened. You know, I think I'm going to end up thanking these stars for the rest of my life." 

Harry grabs onto the car door handle, and lifts his head up to get a better look at the stars as Zayn gets into the driver's seat.

Thank you, Harry thinks. Thank you for helping me find someone who makes me feel complete. I don't know how any of this happened but all I do know is that it did. And that's all that matters.

As Harry gets into the car, he can feel his pocket vibrating. He hopes with all his heart it's Louis, as the car slowly heads for home.


End file.
